Author's note: this story is based on an idea that corglacier and I were tossing around. It is the idea that both Bishop and my CE assassin Carianna could actually earn redemption and become better people.

I owe stickchick a ton for helping me with this; I couldn't have done it without her. It's totally alternate universe, and outside the OC, but it's just meant to be a good, emotional read. So, don't take it too seriously, alright?

Ah, Crossroad Keep. How I hated it when it was thrust upon me so many months ago. I grudgingly rebuilt the bloody thing, but I had no love for it. Part of the promise in the Mere was that if we were to get out, Casavir would take control of it. And we made it, so he did.

I doubt Casavir had forgotten what I had done to him so many months ago, but I doubt he knew the influence he had on me, and in turn, on Bishop. Bishop and Casavir hated each other. And by "hated," I mean "if looks could kill they'd both be flayed open on a table in the Flagon right now" hated.

Bishop used to despise Casavir's innate goodness, I used to berate Casavir for constantly telling me what to do. Bishop and I had come up with a plan for me to trick the paladin into falling, but the trick was on us. I did manage to get him to care for me, but not without a cost to my former self.

Casavir was patient. He tried to teach me that being good was an admirable thing, that lawfulness was something to be proud of. I'd always laughed at him behind his back, but little did I know that it would be his teachings that would set me on the path I currently travel.

I hurt Casavir; when he proclaimed his love for me atop the battlements, I had to turn him away. My heart wasn't capable of love then and now it only held love for Bishop. I'd heard he was married to a beautiful rogue who loved him as much as he loved her.

Despite how hard I fought against it, Casavir still managed to change me. I had to apologize for my actions that night, and for my actions in the Mere. I remember the fear in his eyes as the King of Shadows tried to get me to turn. He knew my evil nature and was afraid that his teachings had failed. One thing I'm proud of now is the relief and happiness on his face as I told the dear King to "shove it." I had so much to tell him. I wanted to thank him for saving me, and apologize for hurting him.

Bishop, on the other hand, had to repent for nearly anything that came out of his mouth over the years when we were all traveling together, along with the whole "destroying-the-gates-and-leaving-us-to-die" thing.

As we neared Crossroad Keep, Bishop spotted a campfire burning in a small clearing nearby. We stopped. Always wary, I silently slipped my Papyrus Blades out of their sheathes; I faintly heard Bishop draw Coldheart as we listened carefully. I heard a rustle in the bushes nearby and turned. I had a split second to raise my katanas in defense as a longsword swung at my head. "Carianna?" a familiar, deep voice asked.

"Casavir?" I asked in return, letting my low-light vision take over as I struggled to make out the massive form standing beside me.

I could tell he was smiling even though I couldn't see it. "It is you! I'd recognize that glowing katana anywhere!" The paladin dropped his longsword and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, lifting me a good foot off the ground. It wasn't until I tapped him on the shoulder and said "Air!" in a strangled voice did he finally set me down. He scooped up his longsword and grabbed my wrist. "Here, come, sit by the fire, how have you been?"

I hesitated. "Casavir, I have someone with me who needs to talk with you." I turned back to where Bishop was hidden; I heard the arrow go back in his quiver as he stepped out of the shadows.

Even with the little light around us, I could tell the smile was sliding off his face. "Cari, why is he here?" Casavir asked quietly.

I sighed. "He's part of why I'm here Cas. We have much to tell you."

Casavir led the way back to the clearing, where the three of us settled around the campfire and I was able to get a good look at him. There was more gray in his hair than there had been when I left, and the slight bit of stubble was now a handsome black beard, but he was still the same Cas. He looked me over, those sparkling blue eyes studying me closely. "You seem thinner then when you left, Cari. Are you well?"

I nodded. "We've been traveling for the past eleven months, Cas." He looked from Bishop to me, confused. "Traveling?"

Bishop nodded. "Yes, Casavir, we've been traveling all over the Sword Coast, repenting for past wrongdoings, doing as Lathander asked of us."

Casavir stared at me. "What is he talking about? He was a Faithless, wasn't he?"

I nodded. "Yes, Cas, he was a faithless, just as I once worshipped Cyric. Here, look at this," I said, pulling off my bracers and showing him my forearms. Bishop took the glove off his right hand and held it up.

Casavir stared at the brands and shook his head in disbelief. "They're real; I can feel their divine magic. I'm just astonished, is all."

I smiled. "Well, we have you to thank, Cas." The paladin raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, you. Granted, all that was part of an evil plan between the ranger here and me, but it failed spectacularly, due to the little seeds of goodness you planted in my mind. All that talk about forgiveness and repenting and redemption…well, it followed me. And that's why I made that promise back in the Mere. If we were to make it out of there alive, I'd take what you taught me and keep going. I just happened to take Bishop with me."

"We knew that most of the good Gods would not look favorably upon us," Bishop said, "but Lathander is the god of the dawn, and of renewal, and what's better for a couple of evil ones like we were than a fresh start?"

"He took some convincing though," I said, inclining my head at Bishop, who playfully shoved me away. "But he finally came through. And we've spent the last eleven months repenting, and doing good deeds, like helping out the beggar children in the Docks, recovering stolen items…"

"…rescuing cats from trees," Bishop muttered under his breath.

"I rescued Cuddles, you just caught me when I fell, if you remember," I said quickly. I looked over at Casavir, who was studying Bishop closely.

"Cari…what did you do to him? Why no snide remarks? And why isn't he calling me 'paladin?' Or making fun of me for being one?"

"Oh, I can try to make fun of you, Casavir, but watch what happens." Bishop cleared his throat. "The reason paladins are hell on the battlefield is that they don't have enough sex." He smiled, and then yelped as his brand burned once more. He winced, rubbing his sore hand. "See? I don't really even want to anymore."

"I can see why," Casavir said quietly.

I rolled my eyes. "Cas, we are here to try to repent, to try to make things right."

He stared at me. "Cari, you have done nothing wrong."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean other than me trying to trick you into falling, breaking your heart and almost getting us all killed?"

Casavir nodded in agreement. "Well, you did do all those things, but they didn't succeed, did they?"

"Well, no…" I began, but Casavir cut me off with a wave of his hand. "Then don't worry. I could tell your plan from the start. Whoever taught you to cloak against my Detect Evil did a poor job. And Cari, I did care for you, but I didn't love you. You are far more like a sister to me. I love my wife more than anything in the world. And you didn't almost get us killed, you'd never have turned, I knew it from the moment you came to me. Whether you liked it or not, you didn't come to me as part of a trick, you came to me because you genuinely wanted to change. And now you have."

I looked at him. "Wait…so, you knew this the whole time?"

The paladin grinned. "Being older has its plusses, Cari."

I smacked my forehead. "So all that time Bishop and I spent sneaking around…"

Casavir raised an eyebrow. "Well, I wouldn't go around advertising your bedroom exploits, but yes, I suppose you needn't have sneaked around."

I sighed. "Well, I'm glad that's taken care of, but I think Bishop has some things to say to you too, Cas."

Bishop stared at the ground, absentmindedly rubbing the new mark on his hand. "Casavir, there's nothing I can say to make up for what I've done to you. Especially my betrayal. I only can ask for your mercy and your forgiveness. Know that I'm a changed man, Casavir. I've had to face my sins and have become a stronger man for it." He sighed. "You never deserved the shit I gave you, Casavir. I was just…jealous. I saw the man you became after a horrible decision, and I was jealous. I could have become that man, but instead, I became a bitter, harsh, sarcastic…"

"Twit?" I offered.

Bishop gave me a look. "Twit, yes. Jealousy does not excuse my actions. It only serves to shed light upon them. And there are far too few apologies in the world to make up for my betraying all of you. I can never forget that. Just know that I will regret that decision 'til my dying day."

Casavir sighed. "You regret it then?" Bishop nodded. "Well, at least that's something. I do forgive you, Bishop, for many of your flaws and indiscretions. You do seem to be a different man then the one we met in the Mere. I once believed myself to be a traitor to my country. I still live with that knowledge and I will not allow you to forget yours. You need to keep that inside you, Bishop, to drive you forward, to push you to better yourself."

Bishop was silent for a long time, his fingers still rubbing his brand. "Thank you, Casavir, you're right. I still see the look on Cari's face as I ran into the shadows. It haunts me. I'll never forget it; it's that look that keeps me going. I never want to see her hurt like that again." There were tears in his eyes. "Cas, you have no idea how much it means to me that you are willing to give me a second chance."

The paladin smiled. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Bishop. Cari gave me one at Old Owl Well, just as I gave her one when she came to me. Lathander appears to be giving you both one, so cherish it."

I nodded. "This was actually our final stop, Cas. Bishop wanted to save your apology until the end. He felt you should see him as a different man."

Cas smiled. "And he is, Cari. You both have changed; there is much happiness in the air about you now." He paused, looking thoughtful. "The Keep has flourished since your departure. We are planning an anniversary celebration next month to celebrate the end of the King of Shadows. I think the hero herself should be in attendance," he said, grinning.

I shook my head. "Cas, I'm no hero. I only did what needed to be done."

He laughed. "That's what heroes do, Cari, they keep going in the face of impossible odds. I don't think you heard Khelgar laughing when you looked up at the King of Shadows and said, 'I've seen bigger.'"

I sighed. "Alright, we'll be there. Who's still at the Keep?"

"Well, all our companions, save Qara (I winced at her name) are living there now; Nevalle is still there, along with Bevil and Aldanon. Kana and the rest of the sergeants are currently in Neverwinter proper, aiding the City Watch, but they'll be coming back for the festivities." He paused again. "And Nasher will be there too, I believe."

I groaned. "I don't think he likes me much, does he?" Casavir laughed. "I think he's irritated at your decision to 'disappear' as you did, but I think he'll respect the changes you've made in your life. Yours too," he added as Bishop opened his mouth to speak.

I nodded. "Alright, thank you, Casavir. We have to make our journey back to the temple, but we'll be here in a month, okay?"

Casavir smiled. "I look forward to it. Thank you for this visit Cari. I do hope I'll see you more, I miss you. Everyone misses you."

"I'll be around, Cas. Don't worry."

Bishop extended his hand over the fire to Casavir, who stared at it for a moment before grabbing his forearm and shaking it. Bishop nodded, and with that, he and I started our trek back to the Morninglord's temple where our journey began.